Indian word of the year 2025

The main culprits are the State, the leaders in pivotal positions, and some organisations that have been emboldened due to the patronage of the State

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WHAT Is YOUR enduring memory of the year, 2025? What is the word that will capture that memory? What is the word that impacted most people in India?

Short-lived words

An obvious candidate is Sindoor. According to the National Investigation Agency, the terror attack in Pahalgam was perpetrated by three Pakistani infiltrators and two Indian collaborators who gave them shelter. The response, Operation Sindoor, was a war of choice. The Indian Air Force, missiles and drones inflicted extensive damage on Pakistan’s military infrastructure and, in turn, India suffered some loss (which is inevitable in a war). All three Pakistanis were killed in an encounter. Nothing is known yet of the two Indians arrested during the investigation. The lack of transparency about the outcomes still hangs over the war. Operation Sindoor lasted just four days, and was too short to leave a lasting impression.

Another candidate is Tariff: Beginning April 2, 2025, the word appeared in every conversation. There was only one rival word — Trump! Trump and tariffs unmade the economies of several countries, and there is no end yet. For example, the reciprocal tariffs and the penalty (for buying Russian oil) on Indian exports to the US remain, severely affecting exports of steel, aluminum and copper, textiles, gem and jewellery, marine products and chemicals. Mr Piyush Goyal’s promised bilateral trade agreement in the “near future” is as far away at the end of 2025 as it was in April, 2025.